Ripon is preparing for its most valuable race day ever on Saturday, with more than £200,000 of prize money on offer across seven races.
This includes a total pot of £100,000 for the winner and placed horses in the principal race, the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap.
It will feature some of country’s top sprinters, including current favourite Summerghand trained by David O’Meara.
Mr O’Meara, who trains at Upper Helmsley, said:
“He ran well in the race last year but was drawn on the wrong side. He is in really good form and he likes Ripon so fingers crossed for a nice draw and we’re very hopeful of a good run.”
The highly-competitive six furlong sprint, now in its 30th year of sponsorship from bookmaker William Hill, has been run in honour of Ripon’s patron saint since 1839.
One of the many floral displays at Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse
A further reminder of the link between the historic course and ancient cathedral city will come when blasts from the Ripon hornblower, whose nightly ceremony dates back to King Alfred the Great in 886 AD, signal the start of racing.
William Hill is sponsoring five of the races on Saturday’s card and Ripon Racecourse managing director and clerk of the course, James Hutchinson, said:
“We’re immensely proud to be William Hill’s longest standing sports sponsorship and we’re delighted with the quality of entries for the big race.”
He added:
“It’s been 13 years since we last saw the trophy head south of Yorkshire and with a very strong contingent from Yorkshire and the North it would be no surprise if that extended to fourteen on Saturday.”
Operations and marketing manager Jon Mullin said:
“Advanced sales have been good, with the club enclosure sold out, but space is still available in the paddock and course enclosures and we’re hoping plenty of people come along to enjoy a great afternoon of racing. Families are always welcome and under 18s will be admitted free.”
While the Great St Wilfrid takes centre stage, the card also includes the William Hill Silver Trophy. Both races will be shown live on ITV4.
The gates will be open from 11.15am and the first race is off at 1.35pm.
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With its first fixture of the 2023 season just a fortnight away, Ripon Racecourse has announced a new sponsorship deal with William Hill.
The bookmaker, which has sponsored Ripon’s feature race of the year – Great St Wilfrid Handicap – since 1994, is now teaming up with the Boroughridge Road course to offer a bonus of £5,000 to the owner(s) of the inaugural William Hill Ripon Champion 2023, with an additional £1,000 going to the winning stable.
Running throughout the season, which starts on Thursday April 20 and finishes on Saturday September 30, each race winner will accrue three points, with two points for a second-place finish and one point for third. The horse that accumulates the most points across the season will be crowned the champion and will bag the £5,000 prize.
There will be additional points on offer for the Great St Wilfrid Handicap on August 19 – with five points to the winner, three for second and two for third.
Ruairi Stirling, racing sponsorship manager at William Hill said:
“The relationship between Ripon and William Hill goes back many years and this another sign that shows it’s as healthy as ever.
“We’re really keen to award the horses that run well at Ripon repeatedly and hopefully this new incentive will encourage owners and trainers to consider running there throughout the season.”
Jonathan Mullin, operations, marketing and Clerk of the course, said:
“We recognise how hugely important owners are to the sport and here at Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse we have a lot of horses and owners who return to us regularly.
“It’s always fantastic to see the old favourites return and the nature of this competition with points for first, second and third, favours horses that run here more often. Hopefully we can reward one of those regulars by crowning them ‘William Hill Ripon Champion’ at the end of the season.
“It’s great to be able to partner with William Hill, long term sponsors here with this innovative new project and now we’re really looking forward to getting the season started and seeing the League table begin to take shape.”
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